Buckle



(No Model.) v v E. A. SMITH.

- I BUGKLIL. Q 7

N0. 3'76,,921. Patented Jan. 24, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATE T O FICE.

EARL A. SMITH, OF WATERBURY, ooNnEoriorrr.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 376.921, dated January24, 1888.

Application filed December 1, 1887. Serial No. 256,631. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, EARL A. SMITH, of Waterbury, in the county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improve- Figure 1, afrontv view of the buckle com-- plete; Fig. 2, a rear View of the same;Fig. 3, a horizontal section through the slot; Fig. 4, the blank fromwhich the frame is made; Fig. 5, the strip as bent into the tubular formfor the frame, showing the overlapping portions; Fig. 6, the same asFig. 5, riveted together;

Figs. 7 and 8, modifications of the rivet.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of bucklesadapted for wearing-apparel, particularly suspenders, and in which theframe is of tubular shape, with a lever introduced through an opening inone side, and

of cam-like shape, so as to impinge upon the strap and force it againstthe opposite side, the strap passing through the tube-like frame. Inthis class of buckles the frame has been made with the back or hearingside of the buckle divided in a central position, the two ends leftfree, so as to give a considerable amount of elasticity to the back; butin practice this elasticity is found to be undesirable, and that a closeback is preferable.

In some cases, as in the patent granted to me, No. 307,345, datedOctober 28, 1884, the back of'the buckle extended entirely across fromend to end, the meeting edges of the frame lapping one upon the other.

The object of my invention is to construct theframe so as to give astrong rigid back or resistance for the action of the cam upon thestrap. To this end the invention consists in aframe made of tubularshape. the frame being made in a single piece of sheet metal bent intotubular shape, the ends or edges of the metal meeting in the backoverlapping and secured together by a rivet through the overlappingportion.

The frame is best made from a strip of metal of equal width from end toend, and of a length corresponding to both the front and of the metalpreferably'meeting at the center, v 1 I of the back, as represented inFig.5, a representing one end, and b the other end, thenthrough theoverlapping portions 2. rivet is introduced, as represented in Fig. 6.This rivet is best made by first correspondingly piercing the two ends,and then introducing aneyelet,

d, through the hole, which is set down upon the surface of theoverlapping portions, so'

as to firmly secure them together. This eyelet'forms a tubular rivet.The rivet, how

ever, may be a solid rivet, as represented-in i Fig. 7; or the rivet maybe made as a tubular protrusion from the inner surface of one partthrough a corresponding hole in thenothe part, as represented in Fig. 8.i

The front of the frame 15 constructed with a horizontal slit, e, (seeFig. 4,) through which; the lever f is introduced in the usual manner,the lever terminating upon the inside of the frame in the form of a cam,9, (see Fig. 3,) as usual in this class of buckles.

substantially a solid tube. The overlapping of the back and the firmunion of the overlap- By thus positivel y uniting the two ends oftheframe I form 1 ping portions adds strengthto the back to resist theaction of the cam upon thestrap'.

which passes through the frame.

-I have illustrated the frame as made from" a strip of equal width fromend to end; but itwill be understood that the frame may be made in anyof the usual shapes for this class of buckles, not necessary to beillustrated.

I cl'aim- The herein-described buckle, consisting of a tubular framemade from a single piece'of metal bent into tubular shape, the endsofthe metal overlapping on the back, and-the-said overlapping portionsriveted together, the

front of the frame constructed with a hori-zontal slot combined with acam-lever arranged in the said slot, and so as to operate against" theunited back as a resistance, substantially as described. I EARL A.SMITH.

Witnesses:

' H. L. SLAUSON, 0. E. WILOOX.

